Fire-ladder



(No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. H. FOWLER.

FIRE LADDER.

No. 4'78,Z78.- Patented July 5, 1892. I

(N0 Model.) I 2 Sheets -Sheet 2.

' L. H; FOWLER FIRE LADDER.

No. 478,278. Patented July 5, 1892.

015 News Farms 20., wo-rmurnm, wnsmus'mn, n c

UNITED STATES PATENT Genres,

LEWIS H. FOWLER, on ALLEJO, CALIFORNIA.

FIRE-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 478,278, dated July 5, 1892. Application filed August 18, 1891; Serial No. 403,029. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS H. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vallejo, Solano county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Fire-Ladders; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of fire ladders in which pivotally-oonnected ladder and link sections are so joined as to enable the ladder to be folded or extended.

My invention consists, in connection with a ladder of this description and the framework in which it is mounted, of peculiar and novel power mechan ism for raising, inclining the ladder to any angle, and lowering it, hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a fire-ladder which is adapted to be folded into small compass and readily extended and adjusted to position, the operation requiring the exercise of but small power.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my in: vention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my ladder, showing it partly raised. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the ladder raised, turned around, and tilted. Fig. 3 isaside elevation showing the ladder collapsed. Fig. 4.

is a detail of the gear connection.

A is the frame or body of a truck, adapted to carry the ladder.. Upon this truck is a turn-table B.

The ladder consists of any number of independent sections. (Here shown as three in number and designated by C, O, and C The lowermost section is pivoted at its lower:

end upon a cross-shaft E, supported byasuitable frame-work, such as the standards F, mounted upon the turn-table B. This'pivotal connection 0 is a slotted one to enable the ladder when raised to tilt. Pivoted approximately at the middle of the sides of the lowermost ladder-section is the lowermost link-section D, the upper end of which is pivoted to the lower end of the middle laddersection. A middle link-section D is pivoted at its lower end to the upper end of the lowermost ladder-section, at its middle portion to the middle portion of the middle laddersection, and at its upper end to the lower end of the uppermost ladder-section. A third link-section D is pivoted at its lower end to the upper end of the middle ladder-section and at its upper end to about the middle of the uppermost ladder-section. The lower end of the lowermost link-section is mounted and adapted to travel in side guides ain the truckframe, and to diminish the friction said lower end may be provided with anti-friction rollers a.

Mounted in the standards F, which rise from the turn-table, is a rock-shaft G, in which, near each end thereof, is seated a screw H. These screws extend through and operate in nuts I, secured to the lowermost ladder-section. Upon the heads of these screws are bevel-pinions J, with which mesh'bevel-gears K on a' cross-shaft L, supported in arms or bearingsf, carried by the ends of the rockshaft G. Suitable power maybe applied to rotate this shaft, as by means of the crank M on its end. The nuts I are secured so that they swing with their changing positions.

The operation of my fire-ladder is as follows: lVhen in a folded position, the ladder and link sections lie in approximately horizontal planes and are carried upon the truckframe A. The screws occupy then an inclined position, the rock-shaft in which they are mounted permitting of the necessary changes of position of the screws to allow them to accommodate themselves to the varying positions of the ladder. Now, to raise the ladder the power-shaft is turned, whereby the screws are operated, and said screws being seated in the nuts I draw said nuts upwardly. This movement of the nuts raises-the lowermost ladder-section, and consequently effects the 0 rapid extension of all the sections and links of the ladder. In this extending movement the lower end of the lowermost link-section travels forwardly in the guides a of the frame in a direction toward the pivoted lower end 5 of the lowermost ladder-section. This extension continues, the screws gradually rising with the lowermost ladder-section by rocking with the shaft G,in which they are mounted, and the swinging nuts conforminguntil the lower end of the lowermost link section reaches the turn-table, upon which it is drawn, whereupon the whole ladder is now supported on the turn-table and is in a vertislotted connection is necessary.

cal position, with its ladder and link sections approximately parallel. The ladder can now be turned around sidewise with the turn-table and the power-shaft operated in the reverse direction, whereby the nuts are caused to travel outwardly on the screws, leaving the base of the lower link-section on the turntable. This has the efifect of inclining the whole ladder to any angle desired, and by means of the turn-table the ladder may be adjusted to any bearing-point required. As the ladder tilts on the lower link-section, the {Po lower the ladder, it is turned, with thetable, to its position in line with the truck, and the lower end of the lowermost link-section being pulled backwardly to give it a start the operation of the screws will cause the nuts to travel outwardly and eifect the separation of the linksection from the lowermost laddersection, thereby causing the lowering or folding up of the entire ladder to its recumbent position upon theframe. This power mechanism is simple and elfective and causes a trueand accurate movement of the several parts, requiring the exercise of but little power. The power-shaft L being carried by the arms f, which extend from rock-shaft G, the pinions J and gears K will always remain in engagement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- i 1. In a fire-ladder, the combination of the extensible pivotally-conneoted sections constituting the ladder, the nuts on one of said sections, the screws operating in and through the nuts, and the rock'shaft carrying the screws, substantially as herein described.

2. In a fire-ladder, the combination of the extensible pivotally-connected sections constituting the ladder, the nuts on one of said sections, the screws operating in and through the nuts, and the rock-shaft. carrying the screws and gearing between said shaft and screws, substantially as herein described.

3. In a fire-ladder, the combination of the pivotally-connected ladder and link sections. the lowermost ladder-section having a pivotal connection and the lowermost link-section having a sliding connection, the nuts on the lowermost ladder-section, the rock-shaft, the screws seated in said rock-shaft and operating in and through the nuts, and the powershaft and gears for operating the screws, substantially as herein described.

t. In a fire-ladder, the combination of the truck-frame having the side guides, the turntable mounted upon said frame, the pivotallyconnected ladder and link sections, the lower end of the lowermost link-section being adapted to travel in the side guides of the truckframe to and upon the turn-table, a pivotal connection of the lower end of the lowermost ladder-section with the turn-table,the standards of the turntable, the rock-shaft in said standards, the operating-screws carried by the rock-shaft, the nuts on the lowermost ladder-section in and through which the screws operate, and a power-shaft and gearing by which the screws are operated, substantially as herein described.

5. In a fire-ladder, the combination of the frame with side guides, the turn-table, the ladder and link sections, the lower link-section sliding in the side guides of the frame to and upon the turn-table, the standards on the turntable, the cross-shaft E of standards .upon which the lower link-section is pivotallyslotted, the rock-shat t in the standards, the screws carried by the rook-shaft, the swinging nuts on the lower laddersection receiving the screws, the power-shaft supported from the rock-shaft, and gearing between said powershaft and screws, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LE WIS H. FOWLER.

\Vi tnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, .T. A. BAYLESS. 

